Saturday, December 31, 2011

I gave up on New Year’s resolutions a long time ago. Let’s face it, if you haven’t learned French by now, it’s not happening. Sure, that new elliptical machine would be a great way to get in shape, but what's more likely is you becoming the proud owner of a $1,200 coat rack that can read your pulse rate. The only people that actually keep New Year’s resolutions are the ones that don’t need to make them.

However, I do like to set a few food related goals for the upcoming year. I’m not sure when, but I will do a quinoa recipe in 2012. I’m going to make Italian sausage. I’m planning on filming a “how to turn corned beef into pastrami” video, which I’ve done for About.com, but not on Food Wishes. I want to show you how to make perfect hash brown potatoes.

Anyway, those are a few of my New Year’s foodie resolutions – what about you? Do you have any culinary accomplishments you want to achieve in 2012? If so, please share, and we can all have a toast tonight to every one of them coming true. Enjoy!

39 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Yesss!!! Pastrami and hash browns are two of my favorite foods! I have made the About.com pastrami recipe a number of times, so I am curious to see if there will be any updates to that recipe! (not that it needs any.. it comes out tasty every time -- my biggest problem is having the willpower to let it rest in the fridge overnight ;)

I'm firmly in the "doesn't make resolutions/wouldn't keep them anyway" camp, but at some point in the future I want to try a Chicken Galantine/Ballotine, and cook something with duck, which I have never done.

I would like to make that French onion soup with home made chicken and beef stock, and that Christmas lasagne, and for the first time make my own pizza using your tomato sauce, Ginger and garlic Clifton Springs chicken wings, bacon, onions, mushrooms and bearnaise sauce. And then some deserts too.

I have quiet a bucket list. I would like to learn to make puff pastry not because I want to make something so labor intensive, but because Pepperidge Farm contains soybean oil and I happen to be soy sensitive.

But my true reason for commenting today is to tell you what a genius you are. I made your holiday pumpkin bread sans pumpkin and it was the most delicious bread; crisp crust, full of holes and it crackled when I took it out of the oven. I was surprised that it only required ¼ teaspoon yeast. It was really yummy (sorry for the use of that word, but it was). Do you have an opinion of how long to wait before cutting this bread? I am told if you cut into it too soon it will be gummy.

Have a dinner party at our new home that we finally found after ten mos. of searching in the new place we moved to, and have all our new, welcoming friends to pay them back for the wonderful sincerity and hospitality they have shown us. We've been renting and didn't unpack the "entertaining" ware so it'll be fun to really settle in. Will def plan on using Chef John recipes! Also just overall cook more family dinners now that the two- and one-year old have full use of their chompers. HNY!

I,through my kitchen, am going to embark on a world wide culinary adventure to master and taste dishes I've heard of, always wanted to try... but never tasted. I think the first stop...Spain! I want paella! Never had it and I want to taste it but...I want to taste the best. This will need research. Then maybe I'll move to France or Italy. I must go to Thailand also. So much to do and so little time. Maybe I should invest in a coat rack with a heart monitor before I go 'cause the word healthy will never be mentioned whilst on this journey. Here's to 2012! Happy New Year everyone!

Thanks for the super recipes that you have created and shared this year and the years before. So many have become favorites to us. This certainly includes the Cornel Chicken, Mushroom Burgers and pork with the fabulous reduction sauce. None of your recipes have not been truly enjoyed. That is saying a lot! Thanks again.

Happy new year chef John!When you do the perfect hash browns, please consider an alternative recipe like this.Substitute onions, mushrooms and red cabbage and carrots, all shredded fine like the potatoes. I even add some bacon finely diced or left over sausage. It makes up fast like hash browns, and presents well as " confetti hash"Have a blessed new year,Pastor Bob

As New Years approaches, I have a lot to celebrate. I finally moved to the city of my dreams and I have lost 100 LBS ! ! ! (au naturale, no surgery, just hard work and a lot of willpower). I taught myself how to cook and I thank Chef John for helping me out in the kitchen. Here's to another 100LBS lost this year. I can do it ! !

I got accepted into the Master Gardener program in my county this year and my resolution is to grow the perfect salsa ingredients.

I spent the last summer going through about 10 versions of salsa until settling on one that seemed to please and impress with its flavor and heat - my nephews, brother in laws, co-workers, neighbors, etc.

I also will be watching you Chef John to find new and interesting ways to incorporate more bacon into my diet in 2012 :).

Tomorrow our new year's lunch will be your creamy mushroom ragout over toasted rosemary olive crusty bread with a spinach/arugula/black-eyed pea salad and hot bacon dressing. We will wash it down with a glass of Predator old vine Zin. I swear the first taste of that wine reminds me of bacon. It should be an interesting pairing.

Many thanks for the inspirational recipes, and may prosperity and happiness follow you through 2012.

I want to learn the basics of using spices and herbs, which I'm actually trying to get a local chef to give a lesson on. I manage to ruin what would've been a perfectly good dish by not knowing which spice compliments what food or other spices and herbs. I'd love to see you do a video on this. HAPPY NEW YEAR Chef John! Cathy

I want to learn the basics of using spices and herbs, which I'm actually trying to get a local chef to give a lesson on. I manage to ruin what would've been a perfectly good dish by not knowing which spice compliments what food or other spices and herbs. I'd love to see you do a video on this. HAPPY NEW YEAR Chef John! Cathy

This year, I intend to find the most perfect and authentic tres leches recipe and execute make people taste how great this can be. How is it that so many people have never tried this, and so many restaurants make it so poorly? I dont understand it but I intend to do something about it. Cheers!

First, thanks Chef John for a great site that inspires me, and apparently many others, to expand their culinary talents. In 2011 I made creme Fraiche and many other new foodie experiences. You make everything easy!

2012 resolutions...gotta try that chicken ballotine method - looks like a blast! Your newest beef tenderloin will be a hit next Christmas. Also, I'd like to try homemade tamales.

1. Make own sausage as well.2. Make pepperoni as well, because all the pepperoni I've found for pizza making has been horrible.3. French onion soup4. Ravioli, I've done one great sitting, but just want to experiment more.5. Cook more indian food, which is one of my favorite's. Including trying more Dal.6. Experiment more with BBQ-dishes7. Corned Beef and Brisket.8. Beets9. Try a couple of different beans, than my normal routine.10. Perfect my Tom Kha Gha, can't seem to get exactly where I want it to be.11. More clay pot.12. Lose weight :)

Purchase a toaster oven, and learn to cook for two. By the way my wife's last foodwish was your pasta fazoolander. She loved it, the only thing we did different was add a can of diced tomatoes at the end of the recipe.

Foodie New Year's Resolution? Start cooking. I'm a college student and although I have a passion for cooking, I've convinced myself I don't have the time. This year though, I'm leaving home with a spice rack, a couple of pots, and a lot of determination. This will happen lol

Hi Chef John! I married into an Italian family and in 2 wks we are going to be getting together for our family's Annual Salami and Italian Sausage Making weekend! We order 300 lbs. of pork butt and get to it...deboning meat, grinding everything, mixing everything in industrial size machinery from the 1940's, the works! I thought you'd be interested since you said you wanted to post a blog about making Italian Sausage. It doesn't get more legit than this. :-) I can send you some if you want...way better than anything store-bought, especially the white wine hard salami! shoot me an email if you're interested. We can make a special order for you.

We moved to England and I am fascinated with the english cuisine. I'd like to learn how to make mince meat pies, short bread, scones, different traditional pies from scratch.

Thank you Chef John for all these fab recipes. The ones I've tried were fantastic! I am looking forward to your 2012 food resolutions execution as well. Best wishes to your family as I am sure without their love you wouldn't be as phenomenal as you are now.

Dear Chef John,I appreciate your website like nobody's business! I learn a ton from you. Here's my new year's "wish":I'd love to actually find a pumpkin soup recipe that actually tastes good. I had a pumpkin soup in Salzburg once that was phenomenal, and have tried and tried to reproduce it with no success. What do you think? Is this something you could help out with?Thanks

A bit late to this party but here are my food wishes for the new year: 1. Learn to make banana pudding. (My late grandpa always made it for family gatherings.)2. Learn to improvise a good pan sauce. 3. Learn to make swiss chard taste good.